How each is viewed by the loyalists, however, differs due to preseason expectations, which were set at different levels by the head coaches.

In Tallahassee, Taggart was all about firing up the troops and embracing the Seminoles' championship past. He even dusted off Mickey Andrews and put the former defensive coordinator on staff as a special assistant. He was practically busing in a group of former FSU greats every week to boost the spirits of current players.

Even now, after a season-opening pratfall and a near unspeakable disaster against Samford, Taggart is talking about a return to putting tomahawk stickers on helmets as a reward (an old Bowden-era practice), as well as the team's new "Turnover Backpack" unveiled this past weekend. Miami's "Turnover Belt" has spawned some odd copycats, but the backpack has and will invite some ridicule.

The practice field is ringed with motivational signage: Make No Excuses ... Blame No One ... Do Something.

Best of all, entering the season, Taggart apparently had two capable quarterbacks from which to choose. But the offense has been largely inept. And there was a smattering of boos this past Saturday. Fact is, Taggart has had just one excellent season in eight — a 10-2 mark at USF in 2016, which landed him the Oregon job for a year — and his career mark is now 48-51.

If enthusiasm, nostalgia and heady slogans won football games, the 'Noles would be 2-0 and taking aim on those eventual dates with Clemson and Miami. But they aren't and they're not.

They're not much happier in Gainesville, where the Gators did something most fans had never witnessed: Lost to Kentucky. Sure, the Gators are far removed from their best years and the Wildcats are removed from their worst, but still, it was ugly.

But here's where Mullen has a slight advantage. He set a very low bar in the preseason. Where Jim McElwain gushed enthusiasm over his group of quarterbacks and got the base excited, Mullen went the other way entirely. Not only were none of them ready, he insisted, but it might be another year before he feels competitive with any of his current quarterbacks running the show.

Basically, here's how you sum it up so far in Tallahassee: "You got us all excited for THIS?"

And in Gainesville: "We were warned."

Rank 'em

It appears there will be a bit of fluidity to our weekly ranking of the state's seven D-I FBS teams. Remember, this isn't just about how they're doing, but how they're doing vs. expectations ...

1. UCF (2-0): No trip to Chapel Hill due to Hurricane Florence, so the Knights get an extra week to prep for FAU. You heard me. Did anyone notice that McKenzie Milton threw three picks last week? Against S.C. State?

3. Miami (1-1): Because someone has to be ranked third. Don't be surprised if Toledo gives the 'Canes a hard time Saturday.

4. FAU (1-1): Which Owls is it? The blowout loss to Oklahoma or the win over Air Force? They tune up against Bethune-Cookman ahead of the Sept. 21 meeting with UCF.

5. FIU (1-1): The Panthers should move to 2-1 after beating UMass this weekend, but Miami looms the following Saturday.

6. Florida (1-1): This week's Colorado State game came about due to negotiations when UF hired Jim McElwain away from CSU. The gift that keeps on giving.

7. FSU (1-1): The 'Noles were supposed to be in the middle of an easy stretch of the schedule. Suddenly a trip to Syracuse doesn't look so inviting.

Pro picks

It's a rare week when all three of Florida's NFL teams win. Before this past Sunday, it hadn't happened since ... um ... trust me, it's rare.

Can they each make it two straight to open the 2018 season? Let's see ...

Miami (1-0) at N.Y. Jets (1-0): The early returns are encouraging. Each team's quarterback has the respective fan bases sitting up a little straighter, just in case something good might actually happen — Jets 23, Dolphins 16.

Philadelphia (1-0) at Tampa Bay (1-0): You can get a Ryan Fitzpatrick jersey on NFLshop.com for $99.99, same price as Vita Vea's jersey. Price may drop next week — Eagles 35, Bucs 20.

New England (1-0) at Jacksonville (1-0): This has the feeling of a referendum game for the Jags, whose breakout performance last year made them a very trendy pick to do big things this season. If the Jags defense maintains composure and doesn't let the amped atmosphere lead to mistakes, it'll help tremendously. If not, Tom Brady will take full advantage. Leonard Fournette's hamstring is the difference here — Patriots 20, Jags 13.

Fisher's Texas A&M Aggies might've been robbed by the non-reversal of a very close fumble call near the end of their loss to Clemson. It's hard to overestimate how big that win would've been for Jimbo and the Aggies, and not just because A&M's well-heeled boosters invested $75 million in their new coach.

Frost's Nebraska Cornhuskers lost to Colorado, 33-28. The Huskers lost their season-opening gimme against Akron due to a relentless lightning storm. That probably hurt them in Week 2. They might've lost their dynamic QB, Adrian Martinez, to a knee injury against Colorado. That would put a serious damper on Frost's plans this year.

• By now, you're aware that UCF's current win streak is the nation's longest. But at 15 straight, you may not realize it's over twice as long as the next longest — Ohio State at seven.

• A special thanks to Point University from the western flanks of Georgia. The Skyhawks' first three games resulted in three wins for state schools — Ave Maria, Stetson and even Edward Waters, where wins are quite rare.